From the Patriot Guard Riders Forum

It is with a very heavy heart to announce the passing of a truly great American Hero. Our Hero, our Friend, our Mentor passed away this afternoon after being involved in a motorcycle accident. Bill"Snap"Lines was truly one of the finest Americans who ever graced this earth, and stood for all that stood for us. Snap was returning from a mission in Georgia when he was involved in a motorcycle accident, and now he shall forever soar with eagles. The passing of this Hero will be forever etched in the memory of all whoever met him, his smile, his grace, and a simple Thank You. Snap never met a stranger, and never hesitated to Welcome a brother Vietnam Vet Home. He will surely be missed by everyone, but we will always remember Him for his quest to make the PGR what it is today.

Snap was a highly decorated Warrior, serving in Vietnam from April 1967 to July 1968 with the Big Red 1. Snap extended his tour so that he could return home with his long time friend Dusty. Snap also had a brother who did not return home from Vietnam, and this was the reason Snap chose to fight for his country. SSG Lines Earned The Distinguished Service Cross for his Distinguished and Gallant Bravery in Vietnam. Snap was also the recipient of 5 Bronze Stars (ALL with V for Valor), 2 Purple Hearts, 2 Army Commendation Medals, The Combat Infantryman Badge. Airborne Jump Wings, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and Numerous other Awards. Snap was also put in for the Congressional Medal of Honor. As you can see our friend was truly an American Hero.

Please, goto PGR Forum and read the rest ...

via Josh Irving at SupportOurSeals.com

As most of you know, some of our military’s most elite, the Navy SEALs are under fire from the US Government for allegedly assaulting one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq. Ahmed Hashim Abed is the suspected mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. Special Warfare Operators 2nd Class Matthew McCabe and Jonathan Keefe, and Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Julio Huertas all face charges including allegedly punching Abed while being detained.
This past December, all 3 SEALs were arraigned and plead not guilty to the charges stemming from the alleged abuse of Abed. The 3 SEALs refused Non-Judicial Punishment (Captain’s Mast) which is based on an assumption of guilt resulting in consequences that can be career changing, and opted to take their chances with a Special Courts-Marshal to prove their innocents. Their trials are set to begin in 2010 and if convicted, they carry a federal conviction that will follow them throughout their lives, and punishment that can include a year detention and a separation from the service with an Other than Honorable Discharge.

The charges being brought against these SEALs, if guilty, warrant nothing more than a slap on the wrist. These guys do not deserve this; they deserve to be treated like heroes for doing the jobs that 99.999% of American couldn’t even fathom. Yet, here they are being thrown up on the chopping block by non other than the US Government. The country they swore to defend is now feeding them to the wolves. And to add insult to injury, Chapter 18 of the Al Qaeda training manual released by the US Justice Department says that members must complain of torture and mistreatment inflicted on them. They’re trained to use our own system against us!

I’m sure all of you agree that this is a complete outrage and mockery of our US Military. As Americans, we CANNOT stand for this and MUST show support for our troops who are constantly being put in harms way to protect the country that is now bringing them under fire.

Two of the 3 SEALs, Matthew McCabe (accused of punching Abed) & Julio Huertas went before a judge on Dec 7, 2009 and are scheduled to being trail in January, 2010. A very successful Support Rally for the 3 SEALs was also held that same day outside the Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, VA. Several hundred supporters came and went throughout the morning waving flags and holding signs as the 2 SEALs appeared in court. You can read more about the rally that took place at: http://www.SupportOurSEALs.com. The 3rd SEAL, Jonathan Keefe was arraigned on Tuesday, Dec 22, and his trial is set to begin in April, 2010.

Currently, nation wide Support Rallies are being planned for Jan 19, 2009 for various locations all across the U.S. This is the day Matthew McCabe’s trail starts and we want the world to know we stand behind these guys and support them. The more local media coverage we get from coast to coast, the more national coverage these 3 SEALs will get. As of right now, we are hearing of rallies coming together at the following locations, but will know more as it gets closer to the 19th:
• Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, VA
• Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM : http://www.meetup.com/Southwest-Patriots/calendar/12123784
• Perrysburg, OH, the Home Town of Matthew McCabe: http://www.meetup.com/the-children-of-liberty-d5/calendar/12127984/
• Naval Base San Diego in San Diego, CA
• Fort Hood in Killeen, TX
• Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, TX
And hopefully many more across the nation! We will continue to update everyone as more details about these rallies become available and PLEASE let us know ASAP if you are planning one in your area that day so we can help you promote it.

We want to stress to everyone that these are not protests, but instead rallies to show support for these 3 brave warriors. As Scott Taylor put it, “We are not against the military, we are supporting our boys. We stand against the political correctness being placed upon our brave men and women in a war zone. We agree that what these warriors are being alleged to have done warrants nothing more than someone telling you to stop. We applaud their brave actions in capturing this terrorist who was responsible for planning, killing, mutilating, and hanging 4 American citizens from a bridge in Fallujah. This then caused the invasion of Fallujah, costing many more American lives. Kudos to all of you out there showing leadership and standing by these men.”

If you are unsure you will be able to attend one of these rallies, PLEASE mark the RSVP for this event as “Maybe Attending” so we can continue to keep you updated.

Also, there are several groups / sites out there asking for donations in relation to the situation surrounding this case. PLEASE make sure you exercise due diligence when choosing to contribute to a defense fund. I know of one site in particular that is asking for donations so they can air the story on cable. As of right now, the legal costs for these 3 SEALs are extremely high and they have to cover those cost with money out of their own pocket. So, we are putting the call out to ALL Americans across the nation to help support these guys. The US Navy SEAL/Warrior Legal Defense Fund has been setup so donations can be made, and 100% of proceeds go directly to the 3 representing lawyers specifically for these SEALs on trial. Also, it’s been reported that there’s a possibility the trial could go over seas. If this happens, the legal fees could go much, much higher. And YES, I did say there’s a chance the trial could be held in Iraq since the accuser is an Iraqi prisoner. You can find out more about this particular defense fund at our website: http://www.SupportOurSEALs.com.

Lastly, please help us spread the word by doing the following:
1. Invite everyone you know and encourage them to do the same. Even if you’re not in the area, we need to get the word out to those who are. You can do this by clicking on the link “Invite People to Come”
2. Share this event with your friends. You can do this by clicking on the button “Share +”. This will post the event on your home page for everyone to see. Both of these links can be found directly under the picture of the SEALs on this page.
3. Post link a link to the website http://www.SupportOurSEALs.com on Facebook pages, groups, walls & also on blogs, forums and other websites talking about this case.

Thanks for your support, Josh

The GOE Warrior Support Project
Mission Update: December 31, 2009

Dade County Soldier Burglarized While Serving USA In Afghanistan

If you want to help, a fund has been set up in his name at the Bank of Dade. You can make contributions there or mail them to the American Legion's P.O. Box number 305 Trenton, GA 30752 c/o Jeffery Farmer.

via Specialty Coffee Association of Europe
Kona growers donate coffee to US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq

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A song dedicated to soldiers and veterans is turning the third grade at Colonial Heights' Tussing Elementary School into an Internet sensation.
The response from around the world has surprised music teacher Michael Souders, who co-wrote the song "Thank You Soldiers" with his wife, Angela, and posted the video on multiple video-hosting Web sites, including You Tube.
The third-graders gave a school performance after Veterans Day, and Souders wanted to write a song for the students to sing that was not just about the soldiers, but to them.
"I wanted to write one that would be very sweet from [the students'] hearts, from them singing directly to the veterans and soldiers," he said.
The three-minute video has the lyrics to the song displayed over photographs of soldiers past and present. The song opens by celebrating the ability to sleep peacefully at night while soldiers protect America's shores "in the air and oceans, too / Defending freedom at all cost."

While Souders never served in the military, he has a deep appreciation for those who do. "Not having served, I feel indebted more," he said.
Souders said the students received certificates from the Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America and Catholic War Veterans of the U.S.A. for the performance. The class also is receiving notes and e-mails from all over the world, from active-duty soldiers to veterans to their families.
Since being uploaded to You Tube and other Web sites early last month, the video has been viewed more than 15,000 times. The song has been played on various radio stations throughout the Richmond area.
"The real, real desire for that video [was] the more soldiers that get a thank-you, the better," Souders said. "It's almost become a class project, to see how many soldiers we can thank."
One thing is certain, Souders said: "They are going to remember; it's not something they'll soon forget."

Written by Larry Bailey
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 05:14
Friends of the SEAL Trio (hereinafter referred to as "The Trio"):

All you generous folks who've been chomping at the bit to help our beleaguered warriors now have somewhere to send your checks. I think that by tomorrow you'll be able to contribute via PayPal or by bank wire.

Here's where you can send your checks:

Warrior Legacy Foundation
c/o First Western Trust Bank
5460 South Quebec St.
Greenwood, CO 80111

The Fund we've set up is tax-exempt and your contributions are tax-deductible, plus we have a six-person oversight board. There will be two SEALs (Pete Poillon and me), a troop-activist lady who introduced us to the Warrior Legacy Foundation, and a mixture of Army and USMC overseers.

You will be provided more information about how the Warrior Legacy Foundation has "adopted" the Warrior Defense Fund (The Trio's Fund) to give us 501(c)(3) cover.

Keep those checks rolling in. They will be put to good use almost immediately.

The Trio thanks you.

Larry Bailey

From FreeThSeals.com

Related:
Friends of the SEAL Trio!
Please consider signing this petition; it was done by Jed Babbin, Editor of Human Events, who is a long-time friend of the SEAL community. Won't take but a few seconds, so get it on!
Some petitions are better than others, but THIS one will be delivered!

Symptoms of Corrupting Sickness

via ConcreteBob at United Conservatives of Virginia
Cross-posted at WhatBubbaKnows.com

I'll be in Norfolk Va on December 7. Who is going with me?

Three Navy SEALs, Matthew McCabe, Petty Officer Jonathan Keefe & Petty Officer Julio Huertas all face criminal charges for allegedly punching Ahmed Hashim Abed while he was being detained. (Abed was the ringleader of the Iraqi terrorists that ambushed Blackwater employees, murdered them, dragged their bodies through the streets, burned them and then hung them from a bridge).

Full story at FoxNews.com
Fox News video interviewing Neal Puckett with Puckett & Faraj, PC, the lawyer representing Matthew McCabe.

On December 7, the three SEALs are set to go before a Judge and plead not guilty. This first court appearance is only the arraignment and the actual trial is set to be sometime in January.

Donna and I are renting a minibus/van to haul folks from the Raleigh, NC area to Norfolk on the morning of Dec 7. We have room for 12 people besides ourselves. If you want a seat, let me know ASAP. It's first holler, first to ride. Your share of the cost of the van and estimated gas will be $25 a seat (maybe a little less). I'll do all the driving, and we'll leave our house near Middlesex at 4:00am.
If you know our phone numbers, use them; otherwise send email to bubba @ whatbubbaknows.com or add a comment to this post.

News via Uncle Jimbo at BlackFive.net
One of the best of us all, Concrete Bob will need our help.

Spiritual warfare for a wonderful man

Boy I hate writing this, but it's what we do. A great friend of many of ours and a magnificent patriot can use our help. "Concrete Bob" Miller had a heart attack and is in the hospital. His wife called this afternoon and asked if we could keep him in our prayers. I am not much for praying, but God will hear from me. They put a stent in today, but it looks like they are going to do a multiple bypass operation because of some blockages on a couple of arteries.

I know you all will send some love his way. I have no doubt he will pull through and bring that big lip caterpillar to our next get together. That's him in the middle at the 9/12 march representing for Warrior Legacy Foundation. You get well brother, I'm looking forward to more of that BBQ sauce. His wife was a little worried he might be mad about her telling us about this. I say, let him get up off his butt and do something about it. See you soon Bob.

In answering the NCGOE ORA2 invitation in 2008, local state worker Levi Regalado contracted the troop support bug.
Like many Americans, Levi was a 'passive' patriot. As a naturalized citizen, immigrated from Philipines, Regalado is furiously patriotic and supported his troops from a respectful distance.

In this photo of NCGOE ORA2, Levi is on the left, green shirt.

I was thrilled to be a part of his ORA and record it for this video.

Reference:
North Carolina Gathering of Eagles: Operation Recruiter Appreciation Day